No Kobe, but still plenty to watch when Lakers come to town

The Purple and Gold take on the Kings at the Valley View Casino Center

Lakers coach Mike Brown didn't get to come back to San Diego last year. Because of the lockout, the Lakers annual preseason game in America's Finest City was nixed, preventing the University of San Diego alumnus from visiting.

But now, the NBA schedule is back to normal -- even if the Lakers are wildly different.

Thursday at 7 p.m., the 16-time NBA champions will meet the Sacramento Kings at the Valley View Casino Center. And while Kobe Bryant will sit out due to a foot injury, fans will have the chance to see two of the biggest offseason acquisitions the Lakers have ever picked up.

Dwight Howard and Steve Nash will take the court together for the third time this preseason, joining sixth-year Laker Pau Gasol. And while the results haven't been pretty for the purple and gold this preseason (the Lakers are 0-7), Bryant will tell you that the quality of basketball among the starters is sky-high.

Whether the Lakers are the NBA's most talented team is certainly questionable, but the balance among the starting five looks unparalleled.

The backcourt blends one of the NBA’s all-time great shooters and passers (Nash) with a slasher who now ranks fifth on the league’s career scoring list (Bryant). Meanwhile, the front court combines an historically-great on-ball defender (Metta World Peace) with a four-time All-Star power forward (Gasol) and three-time Defensive Player of the Year/four-time rebounding champion (Howard).

Bryant mentioned that Howard's addition will make everyone else's job easier on the perimer, while Nash is very-much looking forward to how the big man will factor in to what could be the NBA's most explosive offense.

"It's great, especially in pick-and-roll situations," Nash said. "He draws a lot of attention on his rolls so it can open up lanes for his teammates. Once he and I get more time together, I think it's going to be a great combination."

Does it mean it will necessarily work? One can never tell for sure. As Blazers forward Nicolas Batum told Blazersedge last week: "It looks good on paper but [the Lakers have] got to make a team now. It's not easy because you've got one ball only.”

And that’s where Brown comes in.

The second-year Lakers coach is certainly no rookie when it comes to handling stratospheric talent. Besides coaching Bryant and Gasol last year, Brown was at the helm of the Cavaliers during LeBron James’ final five seasons in Cleveland.

But long before that, Brown played two seasons at USD, from where he graduated in 1993. His highlight with the Toreros?

“When I received my diploma,” he said. “My parents played that over and over again because they couldn’t be there.”

And what about on the basketball court?

“I stunk,” Brown said.

The Kings beat L.A. in their first preseason meeting Sunday, the night Howard made his Lakers debut. Featured in Sacramento’s lineup is forward DeMarcus Cousins, guards Tyreke Evans and Aaron Brooks…and for star power, former BYU standout Jimmer Fredette.